Ironing machine



l Jan. 20,1925.r y

' J'. F. PATTON ET Al.

IRONING MACHINE File'd Sept. 7,1920 5' Sheets-Sheet l f jm zu, 2925.'

- J. F'. PATTON ET AL.

IRONING MACHINE 3 sheets-sheet 2 Filed sept. v, 1920 l ,SER-45 J F.PATTON ET Al.l

Jan, 20. 1925.

IRONI NG MACHI NE Filed sein. 7

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 [EPS ..WM HUE EM EM igatented dan. ZG, W25,

JAMES F. PATTON AND JOHN E. MCALLISTER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TOTHE PATTON COIVIPJY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

Inonrns Application filed September and JOHN E. MoALLis'rnn, bothcitizens of (hio, have invented certain new and useful the UnitedStates, residing at Cleveland Improvements in Ironing Machines, of whichthe following is a specification.

The invention relates particularly to that class of ironing machineswhich include a heated curved metallic shoe which cooperates with arotating cylinder. In such a machine the roll is generally covered witha soft layer of felt or other similar material over which may he placeda sheet of cloth. It is customary in such machines to provide mechanismfor forcing together the shoe and roll and for separating them. A motoror other suitable mechanism is provided for rotating the roll and insome cases mechanism is provided for freeing the roll Yfrom the motor sothat the roll may loe stopped from rotation without stopping the motor.In order to work satisfactorily it has heen found necessary or desirableto insert a spring in the mechanism which holds the shoe and rolltogether in such a way that it will be capable of allowing some reliefwhen materials of varying thickness are passed loetween the roll andshoe in the process of ifroniiig. Associated with the roll and shoe isgenerally a feeding talole from which the clothes to he irone'd may hefed to the roll. In -the preferred .form of the present invention thistalole is normally horizontal and admits of a very slight tilting'motion under pressure. The arrangement may he such that the tiltingmovement may effect a separation of the roll and shoe.

In the accompanying drawings is shown an embodiment of the invention.Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sect-ion of the ironing machine. Fig.2 Ais a similar transverse section showing the roll and shoe in contactwith each other. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a clutch forcontrolling the rotation of the roll. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transversevert-ical section on the line 4-'4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a frontelevation of the ironing` machine. is a transverse vertical sectionthrough a latch for holding the roll and vshoe in contact with eachother. Fig. 7 is a front elevation f one @mi of the machine. Fg- 8 Fig.6'

MAoHrNn,

7, reco. serial no. 408,665.

is a fragmentary end elevation showing the support for the motor. Fig. 9is a fragmentary transverse vertical section of another form theinvention may take.

The machine shown includes a supporting frame having end pieces 1 to oneleg of which is pivoted a pedal 2 which is normally lsupported by aspring 8 connecting Ythe pedal to the supporting frame. The Vpedal 2extends from side to side of the machine and. may be easily and readilyvreached bythe operator without the need for movement to any particularplace along the roll. Pivoted to the pedal is an upwardly extending baror link 4 which passes through an aperture 6 in a hoard or table whichreceives the material after being ironed. Pivoted on a hearing i' in theend piece 1 vis an angle lever having an arm 8 to which is connected the'oar hy a pin 55. The upper arm 9 of the angle lever carries a loar 16on which is threaded a plug associated with a lock nut 10. rhe har 16extends into a socket 17 projecting from a hearing block 18 for theironing roll 19. The plug 15 and the hearing block 1S are each providedwith screw threads to engage a spring 2O which surrounds the socket 17and holds the rod 16 in the socket. In the end piece 1 'are guide ways21 on which theloearing 18 for the roll may slide. Back of the roll 19is a curved metal shoe 22 mounted in the end pieces 1 and provided witha 'gas burner 23 extending from end to end of the shoe as is well knownin the art.

The end pieces 1 have forwardly projecting arms 24 carrying hearings 25for the lugs 26 which carry a feeding hoard or table 27. In the arms 24are sockets 28 in which are seated coil springs 29 on the upper ends ofwhich ride lugs 30 to support the hoard 27 and hold it approximatelyhorizontal. Depending from the hoard 2? on the other side of the pivotfrom the lug is a lug 81 carrying a removable wearing memloer 11. At itsupper end the arm '9 is forked at 12 and the fork carries 'a transverserod 18 on which is pivoted a latch 14. A coil spring 38 in a sockethelow the fork 12 tends normally to press upward the latch 14. On theother side of the pivot 13, a yset screw 32 extends through,

the bottom of the fork 12 so as to limit the movements of the latch 14.The mechanism shown in Fig. 1 is at the left end of the ironing machineand the lever 8, 9 together with the rod 4 are inside of the endpiece 1. All of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 is preferably duplicatedat the right hand end of the machine but this is not necessary. VTheapparatus is normally in the position indicated in Fig. 1. Pressure uponthe pedal 2 extends the spring 3 and causes the rod 4 to pull down uponthe pin 55 thereby causing the angle lever to turn upon the pivot 7 andforce the plug 15 against the spring 20 which as it compresses forcesthe bearing 18 of the roll to slide to the right in Fig. 1 therebybringing the roll into engagement with the shoe 22. The apparatus isthus brought into the position shown in Fig. 2. It will be noted thatthe spring 20 is compressed and there would be a tendency to force theapparatus to return to the position shown in Fig. 1 unless some means'were provided to lock the apparatus in the position shown in Fig. 2. Inpassing from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position in Fig. 2 thelatch 14 carried by the arm 9 is caused to engage the wearing point 11.The latch 14 is then pressed down against the force of the spring` 33 orthe wearing point 11 is forced upward against the spring 29 or botheffects may occur. 1When the arm 9 reaches the position shown in Fig. 2the latch 14 rises and engages the wearing point 11 as indicated in Fig.2. Pressure may now be removed from the pedal 2 and it will remaindepressed. A slight pressure upon the forward edge of the feed board 27will compress the spring 29 and cause the wearing point 11 to rise fromengagement with the latch 14 and so allow the springs 2O and 3 towithdraw the roll 19 from the shoe 22 with a snap.

There is no rigid connect-ion between the plug 15`and the bearing boxes18 but both the forward and backward movement of the roll 19 isaccomplished through the connecting springs 20. The springs are keptfrom creeping one way or the other by stops 53 cast at the ends of thescrew threads of the plug 15 and bearing boxes 18. As assembled theplugs and bearing boxes are screwed in the spring as far as the stops 53will allow and they remain in such relative positions.

Fig. 3 shows the arrangement provided at the right hand end of themachine for rotating the roll. This apparatus may be duplicated at theleft hand of the roll or might be there alone. Passing through thebearing block 18 is the shaft 34 on which the roll 19 is rigidlymounted. A clutch member having a key way sliding on a key 54 on theshaft 34 has a collar 36 by which it may be shifted longitudinally onthe shaft 34. Carrying a co-operating clutch is a gear 37 loose on theshaft 34. The gear 37 engages a pinion 38 carried by a. worm wheel 39which engages a worm 40 rotated by a pulley 41 through a belt 42 runningto a motor 43 suitably supported on the end piece 1. Depending frombearing block 18 adjacent the shaft 34 is a lug 44 carrying a pin 45 towhich is fastened one end ofl a coil spring 46. The other end of thecoil spring 46 engages a lever 49 pivoted on the pin 45. One end 47 ofthe lever 49 engages the collar 36 of the clutch member 35 and the otherend 48 of the lever 49 normally engages a cam projection 51 carried bythe end piece 1.

A forked bracket 61 on one leg of the frame 1 carries on a pivot pin 62,a support 63 for the motor 43. The inner end 64 of the support 63 may beforced up by the weight of the motor 43 as the belt 42 eX- pands in use.This will lower the motor support 63 and take up the slack and keep thebelt 42 always tight enough to work properly and not slip. A set screw65 held by a lock nut 66 in the bracket 61 limits the downward movementof the motor and avoid accidents if the belt breaks or comes olf.Normally the set screw 65 is adjusted so that it is not engaged by theend 64 thus allowing for stretching of the belt 42. Then the beltstretches so that the end 64 does engage the screw 65 it may be re-setso as to allow of further stretching of the belt which may be thusalways kep-t tight without frequent attention or adjustments.

A switch 52 is indicated by which current may be fed to the motor. Themotor will operate andV cause the gear 37 to rotate continuously andwhen the clutch member 35 is forced into 4engagement with the clutchcarried by the gear 37 the roll will be ro tated. When the clutch member35 is out of engagement the gear 37 may continue to rotate withoutaffecting the roll.

The mechanism shown in Fig. 1 causes the bearing block 18 to slide onthe guide ways 2.1. Then in the position shown in Fig. l tbe cam 51 willengage the end 48 of theY lever 49 as indicated in Fig. 3. The spring 46will be distorted and the end 47 of the lever 49 pressed into the collar36 will hold the clutch member 35 out of engagement with the clutchmember carried by the gear 37. Vheii, however7 the roll is moved intothe position indicated in F ig. 2 the end 48 of the lever 49 will beforced back until it slides off the lug 51. In this position the spring46 will force outward the endV 47 of the lever 49 and by its engagementin the collar 36 force the clutch member 35 into engagement with theclutchmember carried by the gear 36 thus causing the roll to be rotatedby the motor 43.

'The teeth on the gears 37 and 38 are so ll l) cut that they are not intight Contact but there is sul'llcientplay between the teeth to allowthe gear 37 to move slightly Without coming out of engao'ement with 'thegear 88. Thus the gear 3i( may be moved from the position it will occupyWhen the roll is in the position indi-cated in Fig. 1 to the position'it Will occupy When the roll is in the position indicated in Fig. 2Without causing the teeth of the gear `38 to become disengaged from ftheteeth in the gear 37.

lt will thus be seen that for operation the switch 52 `may be turned tostart the motor. The roll 'may be forced into engagement With the shoeand cause it to ret-atc by pressing down upon the pedal 2. lushing downupon the front edge 'of the 'feeding table 27 'Will allow the roll torecede from the shoe and to cease rota-ting while the motor continues tooperate.

ln Fig. isz shown 'an ironing machine in which the 'feeding board 27amay be rigidly mounted on the forwardly extending arm 24 of the `sidepiece 1. Since Vit is substantially horizontal and does `not move itforms 'a reliable place (either with or without the co-operation of 'theroll) for "folding clothes' oir arranging articles to be ironed. As' inth'e machine illustrated in the preceding figures, Vpivoted at 7 is alever the arm 9 of which compresses the spring 20 and forces the roll 19in cont-act with the shoe. The arm 9 also carries the pivot-ally mountedspring supported latch ln the forwardly extending arm 24 of thc frame 1is a soclret 28a in Which is a coil spring 292L the other end of whichrests in a socketI a in an arm 56 pivoted at 25 to the frame, rihe arm56 carries at its rear end a projecting lug 31 provided with a removablebearing point 11? which Will ong' the latch 1i 'and hold the roll 19 inresilient contact Withthe shoe. The outer end of the pivo'te'd arm 56 isshown as curving slightly upward in front of the front edge of thefeeding board 27a.V This upwardly extending end of the 'arm 56 carries arod or bar 57 the other end of Which is su'l'morted by a. pivoted armsimilarly mounted at the vother side 'of the machine. The rod 57 extendspreferably throughout the entire length of the roll 19 and 'the feedingboard 27a. It is thus possible to release the latch 14 and cause theroll 19 to be Withdrawn from contact with the shoe 22 by pressure uponthe bar. Since the bar extends' from side to side of the machine it maybe easily and readily reached by the operator Without the need formovement to any particular place along the roll.

lt Will be seen in Figs. 1 and 9 that the arm 9 does not come intocontact with tl e upwardly extending arm of the arms 24 of the end piece1 which arrangement allows the spring 20 to `be entirely expanded in thereleased position. This may have a tendency to increase the etiiciencyof the spring and at the saine time increase its life.

ln the position shown in Figs. 1 and 9 'the feed-ing table 27 alone, ortogether with the roll 13 Which is adjacent the feeding table, forms aconvenient surface on Which the clothes may be arranged previous to theactual ironing operation. For instance, pieces which may be desirable tofold before ironing may be conveniently folded here. lt Will beremembered that in the position shown in Fig. 1 the roll 19 is inertbeing freedV from the rotating apparatus driven by the motor 13.Consequently the folding and the positioning of the goods to be ironedmay be conveniently effected Without the `inconvenience and possibleinterruption Which might be caused by the drum 19 if it were rotating.Moreover in this condition the drum 19 is free to turn and may be turnedin either direction and to any extent and at any suitable speed by thehand of the operator. This is convenient in many instances Where it isdesirable to place the material to be ironed upon the roller vandadvance it initially part Way into the space between the roll and theshoe 22 so that when the apparatus is brought i-nto the ironing positionshown in Fig. 2 the material may be promptly gripped between the rolland shoe and consequently fed through the ironing machine vvithoutdisarranging the folds or other preliminary arrangement of the clothes.

The clutch and driving mechanism. illustrated in Figs. 3 Vand 4 are soarranged that the drum 19 is free from 'the rotating mechanism driven bythe motor 43 when the apparatus is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and9 and also during most of the movement of the apparatus from thatposition to the position shown in Fig. 2. The clutch incinber engagesthe clutch carried by the gear 37 toward the end of the movement and asthe apparatus reaches the position shown in Fig. 2. rlhe drum is thusavailable for positioning the material at substantially all timesexcepting When the operation of ironing is actually taking place. Anadditional advantage of having the drawn back roll 19 freed of the motordriven rotating mechanism when the ironing operation is not taking placeis that such an arrangement makes it possible conveniently to cover theroll with the necessary fabric or to make adjustments or repairstherein. After the ironing has started a slight pressure on the edge ofthe board 27 or the rod 57 Will cause the roll and shoe to separate. Atthe beginning of the movement the roll is freed of the motor drivenmechanism and rendered inert. The clothes may now be Withdrawn entirelyor may be Withdrawn partly Without actually removing them from the rollby rotating the roll backward as much as may be desired.

Numerous other advantages of the invention Will be apparent to thoseversed in the art Who Will be able to make various changes in detailWithout departing from the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

l. In an ironing machine, a frame, a heated shoe therein, a roll, abearing for the roll sliding in the frame, a bell crank lever engagingthe bearing, aA latch on the lever and a feeding board engaged by thelatch.

2. In an ironing machine, a shoe, a roll, means to cause the roll toapproach the shoe, a feeding board, and mea-ns engaged by the board tolock the roll against the shoe.

3. In an ironing machine, a shoe, a roll, a lever for forcing the rolland shoe together, a pivoted spring supported latch on the lever, and apivoted spring supported feeding board to engage the latch.

t. In an ironing machine, a frame, a heated shoe, a roll, Ways in theframe, a bearing for the roll in the Ways, a spring engaging thebearing, a plug engaging the spring, an angle lever pivoted to the frameand having one arm enga-ging the plug, a link engaging the other arm ofthe angle lever, a pedal pivoted to the frame and engaging the link, afork in the arm of the angle lever enga-ging the plug, a. latch pivotedin the fork, a. spring in the arm and engaging the latch to turn it onits pivot, a set screw in the arm engaging the latch to limit themovement of the latch, a feeding board pivoted on the frame, a spring inthe frame engaging the board and tending to hold it horizontal, aremovable Wearing block on the board which engages and holds the latch.

5. In an ironing machine, a fra-me, a. shoe therein, a reciprocatingbearing in the frame, a shaft in the bearing, a roll on the shaft, aloose rotating clutch member on the shaft, a sliding clutch member keyedto the shaft, a pin on the bearing, a lever on the pin one end of whichengages the sliding clutch member, acoil spring surrounding the pin andattached to the bearing andthe lever, and a. lugr on the frame engagingthe free end of the lever.

6. In an ironing machine, a frame, a shoe therein, a roll, a bearing forthe roll reciprocating in the frame, a clutch memberY carried by thebearing, a rotating gear, a. clutch member on the gear, a lever engagingthe bearing clutch member, a. spring engaging the lever and tending toforce the clutch members into engagement, and a lug on the frameengaging the lever to restrain the spring except When the roll has beenreciprocated toward the shoe..

7. In an ironing machine, a. frame, a shoe therein, a roll, a bearingfor the roll sliding in the frame, means to cause the bearing to slide,means to rotate the roll, a clutch controlling the rotating means, a.lever on the bearing, a. spring tending to cause the lever to cause theclutch to engage the rotating means, and ay lug normally restraining thespring. Y Y

8. In an ironing machine, a shoe, a roll, means for forcing the rollresilient-ly against the shoe, a pivoted `spring sup-ported latch on themeans, a feeding board, and means on the board to engage the latch Whenthe roll is forced against the shoe.

9. In an ironing machine, a roll, a heated shoe, a pedal, means operatedby the pedal to cause the roll and shoe to be resilient-ly forced incontact With eachother, aV feeding board, and means operated bythe'feeding board to lock the roll and shoe Vresiliently in contact Witheach other. Y

10. In an ironing machine, al roll, a heated shoe, means to cause theroll to approach the shoe, means operating with the moving roll to cansethe roll to rotate, a feeding board, means engaged by the board to lockthe roll against the shoe,and means released by the board to cause theroll and shoe to separate.

1l. In an ironing machine, a roll, a heated shoe, means for `moving theroll and shoe into contact with each other, means for engaging andholding the moving means in position to hold the roll and shoein'contact with eachother, and ay feeding table for releasingtheengaging means.

12. In aniironing machine, ak roll, a heatw ed shoe, means for movingthe roll and shoe intoI contact With each other, and means above theaxis of the roll for engaging a part of said moving means to lock theroll and shoe in Contact.

Jas. r. rar-Ton. Jonar n MCALnis'rnn.

